In early August, I packed my bags and left home to move into the greatest university in the southeast. I was fresh out of high school and had no idea what was in store for me, but I was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to find out. I decided in the summer that I wanted to Rush. I didn’t know more than two people from my hometown that were Greek affiliated at my new school, so I came in with a very open mind.
Waking up at 5 A.M. every morning was insane. I was now living in a hall with over 50 other girls, and we all shared a bathroom. Despite this, we banded together. All week, there were makeup and dresses and heels and hairspray thrown across the hall to help out a sista in need.
For five days, I walked up and down Milledge Avenue in heels. There was a lot of small talk, a lot of screaming and big smiles, and there was that one girl that tripped and fell when she ran out of her house (S/O to this girl, you made a lot of us forget about the heat for a little while). I remember vividly hearing girls call their moms on the bus to Milledge Ave., some excitedly explaining their day, and others tearful. It was a very different experience; it was stressful and daunting, but for most of us, the outcome was beautiful.
The day I found my home is still so clear in my mind. A girl in a black dress walked up to me and introduced herself as Fran, and we talked like we had been best friends for a lifetime. The next day, I came back to the house, and I remember tearfully telling Fran, “This is home. This feels just like home.” On Bid Day, a blonde girl ran down the front stairs of my new house and grabbed me and said, “I’m so excited to meet you! Everyone has told me that we’re so much alike!” A few months later, this girl became my Big Sister and one of my best friends.
Because of my sorority, I have experienced a “home away from home.” Because of my sorority, there are not many times that I walk through campus and don’t see a friendly face. Because of my sorority, Monday nights are full of watered-down coffee and laughter, even if some of us are extremely busy that night and don’t feel like coming. Because of my sorority, I get to give back to the community that I’m a part of. Because of my sorority, I have forever friends, study partners, and a hand to hold at all times. Because of my sorority, I have too many tee shirts and memories that come with them. Each and every girl in my sorority has their own style, their own background, their own interests, quirks, and senses of humor. Through one organization, we have a family.
Rush will start in just a few short weeks. New girls will walk through our doors and find a home, and others will find a home right down the road. I hope that every single girl will find their Fran. I hope every girl will love their Big as much as I love mine. I cannot wait for my sorority to do for other girls what it has done for me. New girls, we can’t wait to welcome you to our family!
